We Need New Heroes
by AutumnAgain
Summary: AU for Age of Ultron. Pym's robot was a bit more powerful than they expected.
1. Chapter 1

Thor swung Mjolnir with a mighty cry, but the colorful android simply phased through it. Before the god of thunder could regain his balance, the Vision stuck an intangible arm through his chest and increased his density. Thor howled as the android flew away, leaving a gory hole where his organs were meant to be. His hammer dropped from a suddenly slack grip. Thor fell to the ground and did not rise.

Steve cried out in anguish, but continued directing the Avengers, as he had been since Ultron took control of Tony's armor, including his communications systems. "Nat, keep Vision distracted!" he yelled. The android had just killed a god, but Steve trusted Black Widow to keep herself alive while he and Hulk dealt with Ultron. Hawkeye continued emptying his quiver into the Iron Man suit in an increasingly desperate attempt to free Tony. He dodged a repulsor blast, but suddenly the entire roof he was sniping from exploded. The blast had merely been a cover for the true attack.

Steve hurled his shield as Ultron hit Hulk with something. The projectile bounced harmlessly off of the robot's casing as Banner collapsed, human and unconscious. Steve reflexively caught the shield, but Ultron stomped on Bruce's head, reducing it to a red smear. Shield in hand, Captain America charged. Ultron crushed his windpipe. Shield in hand, Captain America died.

Natasha hid in the wreckage of the building where Clint had died, clutching her probably-broken leg. The upper levels were on fire, but the ground floor was still okay. She knew that no backup was coming, and that Vision and Ultron would find her soon. She activated her com.

"Agent Hill, this is Black Widow. We failed." Part of the ceiling collapsed. "Recommend you assemble a new team." Vision glided into the room and signaled for its creator to follow. Outside, Tony's armor detonated in a brilliant display. "Good luck." She died in a blaze of heat and light with only Vision and Ultron to witness.


	2. Chapter 2

"Recommend you assemble a new team." Static. The muffled sound of explosions. "Good luck." Silence.

Maria had listened to the dispatch five times already, but it had yet to fully sink in. She'd lost people before, but it had never been like this. The Avengers were like Fury and Coulson. They were fixtures, untouchable. They couldn't be dead. Not all of them at once. Tony had to be alive so that he could drive her up a wall with irritation. Nat and Clint were living legends to S.H.I.E.L.D., while Captain America was a symbol to everyone. Hulk was Hulk, and Thor was a god.

There was no way Pym's malfunctioning robot could have caused this much destruction. It was impossible. It was… it was inconceivable! She laughed bitterly at that. She'd watched _The Princess Bride_ with Natasha once, and the Russian woman had mocked Vizzini's arrogance for hours afterwards. Natasha was dead now.

Maria wondered if she was going into shock. She tried to look up substitute Avengers, but the screen was too blurry. She struck the monitor with her fist in anger, and her hand was blurred out too. Oh. She was crying.

She was still there three hours later, when Pepper came in to find her sobbing on the floor while Natasha's last message played on a loop from the speakers of the computer. The other woman didn't say anything, but she came back with a blanket and two cups of cocoa, which they drank silently, holding each other in mutual loss. At some point in the night, Maria fell asleep that way.


	3. Chapter 3

Maria woke up to the sound of the television. She was lying on her office floor, tangled in the blanket Pepper had brought. The woman was gone, and she had taken the empty mugs with her. She wandered out, into the common room that Tony had insisted she keep when she moved into Avengers Tower.

Pepper was on the couch, clutching a cup of coffee. The news anchor was reporting on something important happening in Wakanda. Maria poured herself a cup and joined her.

"Reports suggest that Ultron was attempting to target Wakanda's vibranium mines. The Vision appears to have been deactivated by Black Panther, but Ultron is still attacking…

"The Wakandan military has successfully removed both of Ultron's arms and one leg. The machine is still dangerous, but we are hopeful that King T'Challa will be able to deactivate it…

"Wakandan King T'Challa, also known as Black Panther, has released a statement regarding the Ulton threat…"

"Ultron has been contained and deactivated. Wakandan scientists are currently in the process of deconstructing it to its component parts, which will be melted down as soon as possible. The Vision is being held for study in one of our most secure facilities. The Nation of Wakanda takes full responsibility for its containment. Wakanda further sends its condolences to the families and friends who were killed attempting to contain this threat. They will be missed."

"Wakanda has also released an official statement claiming that its military is in no way a substitute for the Avengers, and they will not be interfering in anything taking place outside of its borders. We'll go now to Ryan, for analysis." Pepper turned the television off.

"That's it, then," she said. "You still need to recruit a new team."

"How are you so calm?" asked Maria. "I don't know if I can do this. I'm not Fury. I don't have S.H.I.E.L.D. behind me. I don't even know if people will accept a new team after what happened to the last one. I can't—" Pepper caught her shaking hands and held her still.

"Maria, you can do this. I know you can. We'll list potential members, I'll help you feel them out, and we can bring them back here. Tony's lawyer called this morning. He left me everything," she laughed slightly. "Tony never did have many people he liked. We can do this, Maria."

"I still don't understand. I know how you felt about Stark."

"I accepted this a long time ago. Ever since Tony disappeared, I've known that I could lose him any day. Of course I miss him, but I'm more grateful to have spent time with him while I could. Tony was living on borrowed time and we both knew it. I've had to accept it."

Maria collapsed into Pepper's arms. She hated feeling so weak, but she knew that the other woman would support her until she could support herself. She straightened and pulled away, brushing the tears from her eyes.

"Let's do this."


End file.
